Bath spoiled Mike Catt's homecoming with their fourth straight win in the
Premiership.
It lifts them back into fourth place but the overwhelming feeling was one of
disappointment that they did not manage a fourth try which would have earned
them a bonus point to leapfrog Sale.
The home side notched their third try in the first half but had only an Olly
Barkley penalty to show for their increasingly frenetic efforts in a second half
which had 10 minutes of stoppage time.
The Irish, under the cosh for virtually all of the second half, managed a try
from Ryan Strudwick in the 86th minute and, with Barry Everitt's conversion,
even gave themselves a chance of snatching a losing bonus point.
The visitors were themselves on a five-match winning run and, except for prop
Neal Hatley, were able to field the same side that defeated Newcastle last
weekend.
Bath too restricted themselves to one change from their winning line-up at
Leeds, bringing back flanker Andy Beattie after a calf muscle strain.
But with front row resources stretched to breaking point they drafted in a new
temporary signing from South Africa onto the bench, 30-year-old prop Heinrich
Kok.
It was the Irish who settled into their rhythm more readily than Bath but
despite retaining the ball through phase after phase of loose play they
eventually saw a pass intercepted by Frikkie Welsh and it took a timely
intervention by Geoff Appleford to prevent the try at the other end.
It was 19 minutes before there were any points on the scoreboard, Barkley
kicking a penalty for Bath from 35 metres.
The first try came less than two minutes later when Bath fly-half Chris Malone
hoisted a high kick which was spilled by Mark Mapletoft, only just switched to
full back after an injury to Michael Horak.
Barkley toe-poked the ball on, gathered it up and slid over the line for the
score, converting the try himself.
Mapletoft made amends with a short range penalty five minutes later to make it
10-3 and the Irish were given further encouragement when Bath lost back row man
Michael Lipman with a calf injury.
As he limped off, however, Bath scored again after James Hudson won a line-out
and then Rob Fidler and Malone sent Zak Feaunati over at the posts for a try
converted by Barkley.
It was a slick move but not as easy on the eye as Bath's first try on 40
minutes, finished off by Alex Crockett after Matt Perry had come into the line.
Barkley's conversion from the touchline was sweetly struck but four minutes
into stoppage time in the first half he saw his pass intercepted by Justin
Bishop who sped 60 metres for the try. Mapletoft's failed conversion left the
score 24-8 at the break.
A flurry of tactical substitutions by both sides early in the second half
ruined what had been an entertaining game.
The next score, a Barkley penalty on 55 minutes, could have been worse for the
Irish as it was given for a high tackle by second row Bob Casey on Welsh when he
seemed odds-on to score.
Irish continued to be pummelled up front but held their line despite a yellow
card being issued to replacement second row Roland Reid on 71 minutes.
Another Bath try seemed inevitable but it came at the other end when Strudwick
profited from an overlap.
Teams
Bath: Perry, Welsh, Crockett, Barkley, Daniel, Malone, Walshe,
Barnes, Humphreys, Bell, Hudson, Fidler, Beattie, Lipman,
Fea'unati.
Replacements: Maddock for Crockett (77), Davey for Daniel (84),
Wood for Walshe (66), Kok for Barnes (86),
Mears for Humphreys (45), Scaysbrook for Lipman (30),
Delve for Fea'unati (35).
Tries: Barkley, Fea'unati, Crockett.
Cons: Barkley 3.
Pens: Barkley 2.
London Irish: Horak, Bishop, Appleford, Mapletoft, Staniforth,
Catt, Hodgson, Wheatley, Paice, Hardwick, Kennedy, Casey,
Gustard, Danaher, Murphy.
Replacements: Mordt for Horak (17), Everitt for Mapletoft (55),
Edwards for Hodgson (55), Halsey for Wheatley (69),
Russell for Paice (42), Strudwick for Kennedy (59),
Reid for Murphy (42).
Tries: Bishop, Strudwick.
Cons: Everitt.
Pens: Mapletoft.
Att: 10,500
Ref: D Rose (Wales).
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